Do you consider animals more important than people?

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For me it's not an "either/or" thing; like others have said above, I feel human beings are another species of animal, and all are equal. I would take plants, fungi, protozoans, bacteria, etc. into the equation as well. If you have a Petri dish filled with fresh water and there are parameciums living in it, and you have full knowledge of this and you add a poisonous agent to the water, then you're engaging in the killing of innocent creatures. It doesn't matter how small or 'simple' the organism is, the fact that it perceives its surroundings and strives to sustain itself and interacts with its environment is, in my opinion, enough to consider its autonomy and its right to be left in peace.

My somewhat difficult relations with the rest of mankind stems from two sources: 1) the damage caused to most if not all ecosystems on Earth's at the hands of human beings, and 2) my lack of social skills. I feel more comfortable interacting with cats than with human beings, to the point where I have jokingly said that I feel like I'm a cat born in a human body.

When it comes to the choice of rescuing a human being versus rescuing another animal in a dangerous situation, I would most of the time rush to the aid of the animal, unless the human being is particularly vulnerable (a child, an elderly person, a physically or intellectually disabled person). In situations where the danger is particularly complicated (burning buildings, falling debris, attack of a (para-)military force, an able-bodied human being would be more equipped to save themselves than a domestic or wild animal might be.

try best to be respectful of all life, even toward pests in finding alternative methods to be free of them like turning on annoying frequencies so that they leave of their own accord, rather than putting out traps to end them... however, would definitely have to say there’s greater emotional concern for human lives over those of other species, even though humans are animals, and often the most troubled ones at that.

the only animal truly powerful innate affinity is felt for are horses... probably far more so than with most human beings. so if faced with protecting either a stranger or a horse from otherwise certain death, the decision would be nearly paralyzing, followed with a lifetime of remembrance in consequence of whatever mistake chosen.

On the way home from town yesterday I saw a snapping turtle on his back right in the middle of the road.He didn't get on his back by himself,some evil jackass had to place him there to cook slowly in the sun or get smashed.I turned the car around and moved him off the road.He was still alive so I moved him to the shade on the side of the road.Even tho I don't know who did this,I hate them.Humans really suck at times and seem to be the only species capable of cruelty like this.

^ hi =)

what would you do if you saw a lizard or a house gecko in your house crawling around your room?
whould you kill him?

im wondering because i actually fear reptiles.

Id be happy to see them,I love reptiles and have some pet ones.I like to see them in my garden,they eat bugs and I just think lizards are beautiful.In some cultures it's good luck to have a gecko in the house,maybe becuse they eat lots of pests.I have one of the good luck geckos,a Tokay.Sometimes it barks and it's suppose to be a good omen if it barks several time in a row.She will let me pet her,but won't let me take her out of her habitat.She "growls" and then might bite.Not a bad bite,more like a nip.Its one of the few reptile that vocalizes.
Many people are afraid of them,not sure why but maybe we are conditioned to be afraid of them.I think I have helped some with this by letting people hold my harmless little leopard gecko or pet the iguana.Once they see how very harmless they are,and the gecko is soft to pet,they seem to change their minds.
I can get the fear some have about snakes,we have venemous ones here.But most snakes are harmless and beneficial,eating rodents and the king snakes eat venemous snakes.
You can always spot the reptile people,when someone yells "snake" most run away,we run to get a look at the snake.lol If I see a snake on the road I will move it,venemous or not.People just run over the for meanness.

wow, very interesting! if i know you in real life, i'd let you help me gradually touching a lizard to get over my fear xD

Id be happy to help.I always felt they were misunderstood and hated,sort of like most people with neurological differences from the norm.
This is a wonderful series to watch,Life in cold blood narrated by the great Sir David Attenborough.I think the whole series is on YouTube.This is the first episode.
https://youtu.be/QKS9SBxFPaE

thank you so much! that sure is very helpful since i grew up thinking geckos and lizards are evil creatures and (according to my culture) it's a very good thing to kill them. actually some believe just touching a lizard could cause leprosy.

You're welcome.It would be easy to have a fear of them if you thought they carried leprosy!As far as I know,the only animal that can transmit leprosy to a human is an armadillo.I thought that was just a weird rumor till I looked it up in a vet manual and found out it's true.We have them here,but I have never heard of anyone catching it from one.They make chilli out of them in Texas,I think I'll take a pass on that.

that's very informative!
and na i know geckos are harmless but still..they honestly give me a shiver (if not panic attack) esp when they move. they are very fast. the summer where i live is VERY HOT. i swear when im on the way from my room to the bathroom my heart starts to beat faster, because i fear i see one, especially there are no people footsteps there since i live alone.

i am grateful i didn't see them last summer. i know they love bugs. i don't see much bugs here.

also i am not exactly sure if i should turn off the lights or not to let them leave.

The problem is that I'm too intellectually aware that if I allowed a human to die or killed them, the weight on my conscience will be much worse than if it was an animal. I wish I didn't feel this way sometimes, but due to my teachings I believe strongly that killing another human is wrong. Non human animals kill their own kind too, but humans are probably the only creatures that ever feel bad or guilty about such things. Or that killing people who kill others makes you just as bad as they are. Pretty stupid to think that, right? I mean it's fine when it's an innocent person, but if a serial killer is executed then they won't be able to harm anybody anymore, there's no fear that they'll except or be let out of prison, and it's hard not to feel utter disgust at their last words before their execution where they bless god and Jesus and the family members of their victims ( I found a website from Texas that had this, we don't have the Death Penalty in Canada. Too many people punished for crimes they didn't commit).

They are mostly nocturnal so keeping a light on might deter them from hanging out.
When it gets hot here,around 90F to 100F the lizards outside move super fast,one kind especially.People call it a race runner.Its really a whiptail,it can really go!There is also a snake called a black or blue racer.They startle me everytime,but they always head away from me.They are harmless, but sometimes chase people.An older relative told me a story about being in a tree looking at a bird nest when she encountered one. I suppose the snake was also looking at the baby birds with dinner on its mind.She must have startled it, it followed her down the tree and chased after her .No one was hurt in the encounter, but it sure scared her.

i like that even though you love lizards, you still can understand that others can be creeped out by them

yes the light thing used to confuse me because i have read that they are attracted to light because bugs are attracted to light, but i noticed they are more active in the darkness. i remember 2 years ago i found one when i "suddenly" turned the light on.

snakes are really weird creatures. god! glad i have never seen one in real life.. i can easily look at some of them online or on tv tho.

Where do you live? Snakes are everywhere, except Antarctica (as far as I know), it's almost impossible to not see one in your lifetime.

None in New Zealand (yet!) There have never been snakes here at any time in the past (or if there have been, no fossil evidence has yet been found, unlike dinosaur bones, which have been found).

Occasionally, they are found on incoming cargos of bananas at the point of entry, - immediately killed by the border control officers. Very rarely, some dead snakes wash up on the beaches here - but they come from warmer waters higher up in the Pacific Ocean and the colder water of the Tasman Sea (which is on the Western coast of NZ) kills them. There are rare incidents such as a car which was imported from Australia (which has zillions of them!) was found to have a rather nasty kind of live snake in the engine compartment.

It's also illegal to keep any live snake in New Zealand, as pets, in zoos, everywhere or to knowingly bring one in.

People are animals.